Lathe location in the shop.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I’ve been watching videos on turning and looking at pictures of workshops with lathes and noticed that lathes are placed in all different locations… against walls, in the middle of the workshop, in front of a window and so forth. Is one location better than the other if you have the floor space? Where does your lathe sit? I guess some locations makes cleanup a little easier. Just doing my homework. Thanks in advance.

Red

[Roger Chandler]

I have a very small shop/studio.......basically a 14x20 utility shed with electricity run to it...........not much room for doing what I am going to suggest to you.

If you are able, set your lathe at a right angle to a wall, and allow clearance all around it for movement, turning off the end and ease of clean up. Having a window nearby is a plus for natural light, but not crucial by any means, as daylight bulbs in fixtures really help with that aspect.

If you could use a window as an exhaust area for blowing dust away from your area, then that can have a positive effect on your health in the long run and help keep your shop cleaner. A fan in a window must have a good filter in front of it, unless you can invest in an explosion proof fan unit.......not cheap! Wood dust is your enemy........it can cause you lots of health issues in the long run, so do what you can to protect those lungs......it is the only set you have!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My lathe sits parallel to a wall but near a corner. The wall behind it is painted 1/2" plywood. Since I have seen a few launches, I would advise against placing a lathe in front of a window. JMO.

[Thom Sturgill]

My lathe sets in the center of a 20x30 shop(actually closer to 24x20 as the back is storage). this was dictated by an overhead beam with a hoist (which I have yet to use). I have complete access to walk around (and clean around) the lathe with a pole at the headstock bringing down power and holding my chucks and vacuum chuck.

In my previous shops I had the lathe parallel to a wall and it was difficult to clean behind and a launched vessel ricocheted back at me. If I had to place near a wall I would either position it at a right angle to the wall or at about 30 degrees to the wall with the tail stock being away from the wall. This would allow access to clean and to hollow. And provide for ricochets to miss you!

[Rich Harkrader]

My lathe is basically situated for maximum light. The fluorescent lights in my garage are arranged in an H shape and my lathe is against the wall in the middle of the top of the H, so I have lighting on 3 sides. Plus I use a task light on an arm. Lighting is important.

[charlie knighton]

if I was running the extra electic outlets again, I would put them close to a rollup door, put the lathe on rollers and roll it outside to turn as much as I could, mine is against a back wall now....wish I could do it over.....I would also have to concrete an area outside the door.....but that's ok

if you had lathe outside just have a fan directing dust and chips away from you

[Russell Neyman]

In most cases, the question isn't where to put the lathe; rather, it's "where can we put the car?"

[Randy Red Bemont]

Thanks for the replies. I will probably go at a right angle to the wall with room to get around it on all sides to clean and what not. I cut a template from some OSB the size of the lathe footprint and have been moving that around the shop to see what works and what doesn't. I never understood the "in front of a window placement" but there were pictures of that out there. I've got good lighting but can add more to light up the lathe area if need be. Thanks

Red

[Marty Tippin]

My lathe is in the middle of one wall, but I'm getting ready to move it to a corner so that the shavings from bowl turning will hit another wall rather than getting sprayed all over the bandsaw and other tools that are currently off the tail end of the lathe. I'll leave enough room that I can work off the end of the lathe (though I never do) and probably put it a little farther out from the wall so I can clean behind it more easily.

I've been meaning to do this for some time, but there's something about 700 lbs of cast iron that makes sitting right where it's at more attractive...

[Dale Gillaspy]

There are pros and cons to every location. I think your plan with the template is pretty good. My lathe is near the center of the shop placed near the garage door for light. It is parallel to the wall with my back to the wall. Against the wall is an old drawer set and tabletop from a chemistry lab as one of my workbenches. It makes it handy to set things down. The downside is it becomes a huge crap catcher.

[Blair Swing]

Necessity is the mother of invention they say and "The where does the car go" dictated that everything in my shop (garage) is on wheels. I really have no idea how heavy my bench is that holds my nova but guess close to 450-500 lbs. I have a 1' tall area above the wheels filled with sand, and chunks of concrete that were convenient from a gas leak in front if the house the day before the delivery. The 1' box is made from solid 1"x12" oak from a salvaged construction Project and includes solid 3" half round oak bumpers (maybe a bit less now maybe since taking the old craftsman off. I can roll outside if it is nice or doing something dusty. I have not noticed any vibration with this set-up but if you have the room the right angle approach as close to natural light as you can (I just like it when possible) should serve you well.

[robert baccus]

A window fan or exhaust fan through a wall hole just behind the lathe is great. No dust or spray fumes in the shop. A few baffles of 1/4" panels will double the suction by the way. Do some people actually clean under their lathes--makes great padded floor.

[Jeff Holoboski]

My set-up sits in the corner.I have a small 12x14 shop.Lathe Tool Rack, Sept.2014 011.jpgLathe Tool Rack, Sept.2014 010.jpg

[Ed Wood]

Mine is in front of a window, it gets some natural light from the window but mostly just nice to look out the window and see the trees and wonder if they know I am carving up there friends